| Share page |
|
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 273 |
||
|
and a-tossin' your head, and a-lookin' down on everybody. Well, never mind, — you may live to be a poor, old, cut-up crittur, like me. Hope to the Lord ye will, I do; then see if ye won't drink — drink — drink — yerself into torment ; and sarve ye right, too, — ugh ! " and, with a malignant howl, the woman left the room.
" Disgusting old beast! ' said Adolph, who was getting his master's shaving-water. "If I was her master, I;d cut her up worse than she is."
" Ye could n't do that ar, noways," said Dinah. " Her back 's a far sight now, — she can't never get a dress together over it."
" I think such low creatures ought not to be allowed to go round to genteel families," said Miss Jane. " What do you think, Mr. St. Clare ? " she said, coquettishly tossing her head at Adolph.
It must be observed that, among other appropriations from his master's stock, Adolph was in the habit of adopting his name and address ; and that the style under which he moved, among the colored circles of New Orleans, was that of Mr. St. Clare.
"I 'm certainly of your opinion, Miss Benoir," said Adolph.
Benoir was the name of Marie St. Clare's family, and Jane was one of her servants.
" Pray, Miss Benoir, may I be allowed to ask if those drops are for the ball, to-morrow night ? They are certainly bewitching ! "
" I wonder, now, Mr. St. Clare, what the impudence of you men will come to! " said Jane, tossing her pretty head till the ear-drops twinkled again. " I shan't dance with you for a whole evening, if you go to asking me any more questions."
" Oh, you could n't be so cruel, now ! I was just dying to know whether you would appear in your pink tarlatan," said Adolph.
" What is it? " said Rosa, a bright, piquant little quadroon, who came skipping downstairs at this moment. |
||